Looking ahead and planning foresight

If you are serious about your ability and expertise when it comes to advancing a site, route etc, it is common knowledge that you would gather intel or gain a country and city report specific to where you and the principal will be traveling to or staying. Based on that report(s) you will tailor your movements and overall package accordingly. These reports can be obtained from many resources. Additionally, for you smart phone users there are many apps available that give US traveler warnings abroad as well as any specific issues with that area. I can not guarantee the timeliness of these apps however it can fine tune your concerns before you call the consulate in that specific region. As far as police in other countries, I basically go by the rule that I don’t trust revealing anything unless they are vetted by the region’s RSO or someone on that level. Even given that information, I still filter the information that I am willing to reveal.

From local perspective in the US, I use a case by case or detail by detail determination as to whether I inform the local police that we are in their area. Chances are however, if the detail is armed, especially if it is a long term detail I will make that call. Armed residential details are more likely incidences that I will let the local PD know that we are there. That is from a deconfliction perspective.

Another trick I do is that if we have a planned movement I will glance at my traffic app to see if any of our routes are experiencing traffic issues. It is foolish to rely on your primary and secondary routes as being pristine. You may have to make adjustments prior to going Oscar Mike. On one detail we were in a very big city in the US during when St. Patricks day would pass. There were no scheduled movements for the day but I found out from the concierge that several of the main thorough fares would be blocked for a parade. I had my advance guy make alternate routes in the event we had to move.

Keep in mind that Mr. Murphy is always looming and that no matter what planning you’ve done, he can appear and find a gap in your plans. The planning never stops even after the advances have been done. This is really advancing inside the advance.